Analyst IMS Investment Management Services Ltd. trimmed its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 39.9% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,871 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,242 shares during the period. Analyst IMS Investment Management Services Ltd.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,750,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Nvwm LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. Nvwm LLC now owns 4,876 shares of the retailer's stock worth $4,562,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the period. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 7.2% in the second quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 54,555 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $51,035,000 after purchasing an additional 3,673 shares during the last quarter. Kovack Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the second quarter. Kovack Advisors Inc. now owns 7,813 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $7,277,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. W.G. Shaheen & Associates DBA Whitney & Co lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the second quarter. W.G. Shaheen & Associates DBA Whitney & Co now owns 13,569 shares of the retailer's stock worth $12,694,000 after buying an additional 108 shares during the period. Finally, Paragon Private Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 2.6% during the second quarter. Paragon Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,614 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,510,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Key Costco Wholesale News
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Market-share gains in Canada: Costco is now Canada’s second-largest grocery store chain, indicating continued customer adoption and potential for international growth. Costco Wholesale Is Now Canada’s Second Largest Grocery Store Chain
- Positive Sentiment: Resilient value proposition: Analysts continue to highlight Costco’s ability to attract and retain members through low prices, including inexpensive gasoline. This value positioning could support demand as consumers remain selective. Retail Stocks Poised for an Earnings Beat
- Positive Sentiment: Expansion remains a growth driver: Seven additional U.S. locations are planned for 2026, adding warehouse capacity and supporting membership and sales growth over time. Seven New Costco Locations Coming in 2026
- Neutral Sentiment: Tariff-refund uncertainty: Costco says it will return tariff-related refunds to customers, but the timing and mechanics remain unclear. The policy may reinforce customer goodwill, although refunds could create temporary administrative and cash-flow considerations. Costco Tariff Refunds
- Neutral Sentiment: Operational and competitive updates: Costco will close U.S. warehouses on September 7 for Labor Day, while rival BJ’s continues expanding. These developments are unlikely to materially change near-term earnings but highlight ongoing competitive dynamics. Costco Labor Day Closure
- Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains a concern: Despite a recent pullback, Costco’s roughly 48-times P/E ratio leaves limited room for execution misses. Moderating sales growth and potential margin pressure could keep investors cautious, particularly after the latest quarter narrowly missed EPS expectations. Is Costco Stock Worth Buying Now or Still Too Pricey to Touch?
Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale
In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several analysts have commented on COST shares. DA Davidson restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 4th. HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $1,120.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Roth Capital raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,059.53.
Check Out Our Latest Report on Costco Wholesale
Costco Wholesale Stock Performance
NASDAQ:COST opened at $961.05 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $949.77 and a two-hundred day moving average of $981.32. The stock has a market cap of $426.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.34, a PEG ratio of 4.57 and a beta of 0.87. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $4.28 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.
About Costco Wholesale
(
Free Report)
Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global chain of membership-only warehouse clubs that sell a wide array of merchandise in bulk at discounted prices. The company's product mix includes groceries, fresh and frozen food, household goods, electronics, apparel, and seasonal items, augmented by its prominent private-label brand, Kirkland Signature. Costco's business model centers on annual membership fees and high-volume, low-margin sales, designed to drive repeat purchasing and strong customer loyalty among both consumers and small-business buyers.
Beyond merchandise, Costco provides a range of ancillary services that complement its warehouses, including gasoline stations, pharmacy and optical services, hearing aid centers, photo services, and travel and insurance products.
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